SAFAR Film Festival returns for 10th edition
The SAFAR Film Festival has returned to the UK for its 10th edition, opening with the newly restored version of Hassan Al-Imam's 1972 Egyptian classic Watch Out for Zouzou, marking its UK premiere at Ciné Lumière in London. The festival, which runs until June 28, continues its mission of bridging cinematic heritage and contemporary Arab storytelling, celebrating both nostalgia and innovation through its selection of films from South West Asia and North Africa.
This year's programme reflects a strong interplay between the past and present, aiming to offer audiences a sense of continuity in Arab cinema. In addition to reviving iconic works such as Watch Out for Zouzou, the festival hosts a residency with Egyptian artist Bahia Shehab, who will collaborate with emerging creatives to produce video essays exploring the legacy and evolution of Arab stardom.
The closing night will feature the UK premiere of Sudan, Remember Us (2024), directed by Hind Meddeb—a poignant documentary chronicling the lives impacted by the Sudanese conflict. The theme of generational memory and political reckoning resonates throughout the festival, as films span decades, regions, and emotional terrain.
One such film, Agora, explores the mystery surrounding three people who return from the dead in a quiet Tunisian town, while Across the Sea traces Nour's life from 1990s Morocco to France, navigating the trials of love and belonging. Urgent present-day realities are depicted in A State of Passion, which follows British Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah working in Gaza's overwhelmed emergency hospitals amid relentless bombings.
Palestinian stories hold a central place in this edition, with a dedicated strand including a masterclass by celebrated actor and filmmaker Mohammad Bakri, screenings of archival footage from early 20th-century Palestine accompanied by live music, and a broad spectrum of documentaries, essays, and fiction centered on Palestinian experiences and resistance.
The programme also reflects on the traumas of Syria's ongoing crisis with My Memory is Full of Ghosts and commemorates 50 years since the start of Lebanon's civil war with a special online programme curated by Lebanese cultural platform AFLAMUNA. As part of this remembrance, the festival will present a restored screening of the elusive modern classic Phantom Beirut.
This year's SAFAR also turns to the land itself as a narrative space, with films and discussions tackling colonial histories (After the Sun) and celebrating environmental storytelling. A selection of short films on biodiversity, curated in partnership with the REEF Film Festival, forms part of a growing eco-conscious strand, led by SAFAR Futures alumni and new assistant curators Amina Ali and Sally Zarzour.
In a deeply personal contribution, SAFAR co-founder Saeed Taji Farouky reflects on the recurring motif of ghosts that threads through the festival—from the Egyptian horror classic Fangs to displaced memories and lost homes—and will host a communal tea ritual as a gesture of collective healing and solidarity.
Beyond its festival window, SAFAR continues to support Arab cinema's theatrical presence across the UK, offering audiences a chance to revisit or preview key works. This includes access to previously screened titles like Layla, set in a vibrant queer context, as well as early looks at upcoming UK releases such as the introspective Red Path and the festival's closing documentary Sudan, Remember Us.
The festival also features a compelling mix of stories highlighting diverse Arab lives and voices: The Tale of Daye's Family follows a young Nubian albino aspiring to sing despite social resistance; The Village Next to Paradise portrays the resilience of Araweelo in Somalia; Thank You for Banking With Us unites two estranged Palestinian sisters pursuing their inheritance; Seeking Haven for Mr Rambo takes viewers through Cairo as Hassan searches for safety for his dog; and Saify offers a darkly comic reflection on capitalism and religion in 1990s Saudi Arabia.
Marking a decade of cultural dialogue through film, this edition of SAFAR offers a bold and emotionally resonant panorama of Arab cinema, engaging with memory, identity, resistance, and imagination across generations and borders.
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